793.94/10157
The Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs (Hirota) to the American Ambassador in Japan (Grew)
Excellency: I have the honor to inform Your Excellency that I have duly noted the contents of Your Excellency’s note No. 781 of August 27.
As stated to the Government of the United States on several occasions, the Japanese Government, keenly solicitous of the safety of lives and property of Japanese and of other nationals in China, has spared no effort to prevent the present incident from assuming larger proportions. The military operations which have been taken and are being taken by Japanese forces in China are confined to measures of defense against illegal and provocative attacks on the part of China. I therefore have the honor to invite Your Excellency’s attention to the fact that, in consequence, the Japanese Government is not liable for damages or losses sustained by nationals of third countries as a result of fighting in that area.
I avail myself [etc.]